1. Whole Eggs, including the yolk (not just egg whites)
Most people know that eggs are one of the highest quality sources of protein. However, most people don't know that the egg yolks are the healthiest part of the egg... that's where almost all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (such as lutein) are found in eggs.
It’s such a shame that so many clueless fitness pros out there have such little nutritional knowledge that they keep preaching that you should only eat egg whites and not egg yolks. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong!! .
It’s such a shame that so many clueless fitness pros out there have such little nutritional knowledge that they keep preaching that you should only eat egg whites and not egg yolks. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong!! .
Egg Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids (EFAs). Also, the protein of whole eggs is more bio-available than egg whites alone due to a more balanced amino acid profile that the yolks help to build.
In fact, egg whites are almost devoid of micronutrients compared to egg yolks.
Essentially, all of this extra nutrition (micro-nutrients) as well as healthy fats that you obtain from the egg yolks helps to control your appetite, balance fat-burning hormones, and HELP you to burn body fat! So don’t believe all of these clueless “professionals” telling you to skip the yolks.
Just make sure to choose free-range organic eggs instead of normal grocery store eggs. Similar to the grass-fed beef scenario and wild vs farm raised fish scenerio, the nutrient content of the eggs and the balance between healthy omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (in excess) is controlled by the diet of the hens.
Chickens that are allowed to roam free outside and eat a more natural diet will give you healthier, more nutrient-rich eggs with a healthier fat balance compared with your typical grocery store eggs (that came from chickens fed nothing but soy and corn and crowded inside "egg factories" all day long).
2. Grass-fed beef or bison (NOT your typical grocery store beef!)
I know most people think that red meat is unhealthy for you, but that's because they don't understand how the health of the animal affects how healthy the meat is for your consumption. Keep this in mind -- "an unhealthy animal provides unhealthy meat, but a healthy animal provides healthy meat".Typical beef or bison that you see at the grocery store is raised on grains… mostly corn, and sometimes soy too. Soy and corn are NOT the natural diet of cattle or bison, and therefore changes the chemical balance of fats and other nutrients in the beef or bison. Cattle are meant in nature to solely eat grass and forage, so the practice of feeding cattle grains causes digestive system problems in the cattle (one of the main reasons for e-coli), and makes the cattle sick, which most times requires the use of antiobiotics in the cattle.
Problems with e-coli and other sickness is not typically a problem in cattle that eat solely grass and other forage.
Grain-fed beef and bison is also typically WAY too high in omega-6 fatty acids and WAY too low in omega-3 fatty acids from the distorted nutrition ratios in their feed.
On the other hand, grass-fed beef from cattle and buffalo (or bison) that were raised on the type of natural foods that they were meant to eat in nature (grass and other forage), have much higher levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and lower levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (that most people already eat way too much of) compared to grain fed beef or bison.
Grass fed meats also typically contain up to 3 times the Vitamin E as in grain fed meats…yet another reason to choose grass-fed instead of typical beef.
Not only that, but grass-fed meat from healthy cattle or bison also contain a special healthy fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in MUCH higher levels than grain-fed meat. In fact, when cattle are fed grains instead of grass, the healthy CLA fat almost entirely disappears from the meat.
CLA has been proven in scientific studies in recent years to help in burning fat and building lean muscle (which can help you lose weight!). These benefits are on top of the fact that grass-fed meats are some of the highest quality proteins that you can possibly eat... and this also aids in burning fat and building lean muscle.
Grass-fed meats are a little harder to find, but just ask your butcher or find a specialty grocery store and they usually have cuts available. I've also found a good site to order grass-fed meats online - http://healthygrassfed.2ya.com (only in the USA and the site is in English) I really like this online service, as the meats are reasonably priced and a sealed cooler shows up at your door within a few days… they’ve got some great products, including grass-fed sausage, jerky, and tons of other great stuff!.
3. Avocodos
Even though these are typically thought of as a "fatty food", it's all healthy fats! Not only is this fruit (yep, avocados are technically a fruit) super-high in healthy monounsaturated fat, but also chock full of vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, and antioxidants. They’re also a great source of fiber!.
Also, I think guacamole (mashed avocados with garlic, onion, tomato, pepper, etc) is one of the most delicious toppings ever created, and you can be happy to know that it's also one of the healthiest toppings you can use on your foods. Just make sure to make your own homemade guacamole or if you choose a store bought guac, make sure it doesn’t have other unhealthy additives such as soybean oil or canola oil , or added sugars or creams… you’re looking for a guac that is just avocados, garlic, onions, tomato, and spices.
Try sliced avocados or guacamole on sandwiches, burgers, scrambled eggs or omelets, in salads, or as a side to just about any meal.
The quality dose of healthy fats and other nutrition you get from avocados helps your body to maintain proper levels of hormones that help with fat loss and muscle building. Also, since avocados are an extremely satiating food, eating them helps to reduce your appetite in the hours after your meal. Say goodbye to junk food cravings and bring on that lean body!.
4. Nuts: Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Macadamia, etc
Yes, this is yet another "fatty food" that can actually help you burn fat! Although nuts are generally between 75-90% fat in terms of a ratio of fat calories to total calories, this is another type of food that is all healthy fats, along with high levels of nutrition such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Nuts are also a good source of fiber and protein, which of course, you know helps to control blood sugar and can aid fat loss.Nuts also help to maintain good levels of fat burning hormones in your body as well as helping to control appetite and cravings so that you essentially eat less calories overall, even though you're consuming a high-fat food.
In fact, one of my “sneaky tricks” for getting super lean when I’m on a ‘cutting’ cycle is to actually increase my % of calories from nuts… I know it may sound unusual to purposely eat extra fat to lose body fat faster… but every time I’ve used this technique, I get leaner by the day. What I try to do is eat a handful of almonds, pecans, or walnuts about 20-30 minutes before each meal… this lowers my appetite due to the healthy fats, protein and fiber, and ultimately allows me to eat less calories during each main meal of the day.
My favorite healthy nuts are pecans, pistachios, almonds, and walnuts, and by eating them in variety, you help to broaden the types of vitamins and minerals and also the balance of polyunsaturated to monounsaturated fats you obtain.
Try to find raw nuts instead of roasted nuts if you can, as it helps to maintain the quality and nutritional content of the healthy fats that you will eat.
Also, try to broaden your horizons beyond the typical peanut butter that most people eat, and try almond butter, pecan butter, or macadamia butter to add variety to your diet. And if you thought that pistachios were bad for you, you couldn’t be more mistaken.
5. Berries
including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and even the "exotic" Goji berry: Berries are a powerhouse of nutrition... packed with vitamins and minerals, and also some of the best sources of antioxidants of any food in existence. Berries also pack a healthy dose of fiber, which slows your carbohydrate absorption and digestion rate, and controls your blood sugar levels to help prevent insulin spikes (which can stimulate fat gain).
Get creative and mix up your berry intake by using the basics -- blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries... but also get adventurous and give a more "exotic" berry a try, such as Goji berries (which are one of the most nutrient-dense berries on the planet).
I like to add berries to my yogurt and cottage cheese mixtures, as well as oatmeal or oat bran, salads, or just taking a bag of mixed berries and mixed nuts with me for the day as a mid-day healthy snack!
